The basic Luftwaffe unit was the Staffel
which was normally made up of between 9 and 16 aircraft.It was led by a Staffelkapitan
who normally held the rank of Hauptmann
or Oberleutnant(Captain or First Lieutenant
respectively).The Staffel was always identified
by an Arabic number ( 6./JG 1). Apart from the aircraft and aircrew, the Staffel
had a ground organisation of various vehicles and about 150 men.

Three or four Staffeln
combined together formed a Gruppe. This
could be automomous like a recon. unit - and it was ibentified by an Arabic
number - or part of a Geschwader or WIng
in which case it was ibentified by a Roman number ( NAG 6 or III./JG 1).The
Gruppe also had a Stab(staff) or
Headquarters flight. Commanding Officer of the unit was the Gruppe
Kommandeur (usually a Major or Hauptmann) with his Stab
including the Gruppe Adjutant and the
GruppeTechnische
Offizier(technical Officer).

As with the Staffel,
three, four and occasionally five Gruppen
formed a Geschwader or Wing.They were
always identified by an Arabic numeral. Like the Gruppe
, the Geschwader contained a Stab
made of the Geschwader Kommodore (wing
commander usualy an Oberst,Obertsleutnant
or Major) and other personel as Adjutant,TO,Ia
(operation officer), Ic (intelligence
officer), NachrichtenOffizier (signals officer) and a Major
Beim Stab(staf major).Erly Worl War II composition of aGeschwader
was:

Geschwader Stab

I. Gruppe

II. Gruppe

III. Gruppe

I. Gruppe Stab

II. Gruppe Stab

III. Gruppe Stab

1. Staffel

4. Staffel

7. Staffel

2. Staffel

5. Staffel

8. Staffel

3. Staffel

6. Staffel

9. Staffel

During the automn of 1944 ( for JG 2 and JG 26 summer 1943)
many Jagdgeschwader (day fighter wings) were expanded to include a
fourth Gruppe of four Staffeln each.Thus the new form of a typical Geschwader
was:

Geschwader Stab

I. Gruppe

II. Gruppe

III. Gruppe

IV. Gruppe

I. Gruppe Stab

II. Gruppe Stab

III. Gruppe Stab

IV. Gruppe Stab

1. Staffel

5. Staffel

9. Staffel

13. Staffel

2. Staffel

6. Staffel

10. Staffel

14. Staffel

3. Staffel

7. Staffel

11. Staffel

15. Staffel

4. Staffel

8. Staffel

12. Staffel

16. Staffel

Note: Staffel colors only apply to Jagdgeschwader airgraft.For rest of Luftwaffe
see CODES.